editor wanted for first novel - political thriller

[Naiada]

My partner has written a novel (a political thriller). He printed some copies at work which he sent to friends, and deliberately chose people who he knew would be totally honest/blunt in their critique but they?ve all been very complimentary and said they couldn?t put it down, with several of them encouraging him to try and take it further. Also (although I may be biased) I think it?s a really good, pacy story and it really drew me in.

He has done several self-edits and feels he?s gone as far as he can go by himself and would like to get professional input now. He?s read a book called ?Getting Published by Harry Bingham,? but he doesn?t really know how the business works and has no contacts in the industry.

He's now trying to find the right editor to work with before trying to see if an agent would be interested in taking it on.

If anyone has suggestions, or has been in a similar position it would be great to hear from you.

He's under no illusions and he is aware of how crowded the market is, and how difficult it will be for a first time author to get anywhere, by the way!

[ianr]

I've no particular domain knowledge, but I don't really understand the need for an editor at this stage, unless pehaps the MS is in such a state that it puts people off reading it, which doesn't seem to be the case so far. A publisher themself is going to want to have an editorial role; as can agents too, judging from the like of this article, one of several to be found: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-a-book-agent-do-to-get-your-book-published-2799883.

I suspect that talking to a few agents, to gauge their interest, to get advice on what initial input they'd like, and so on, would be a good step. It's in their own interest to be helpful, interested and nurturing too.

I hope you've had some useful off-forum responses too. [ETA: If not, I wonder if the Businesses section might be more fruitful.]

[jazzer]

Agents are not interested in talking to potential authors, they receive so many submissions that they quickly weed out those they are not interested in, probably 95%. They generally ask for a 500 word summary and either the first three chapters or the whole book. Responses take a long time if you are luckily enough to get one, they as a general rule don't provide feedback. It's a hard slog to get picked up by one who'll represent you.

[kitwhitfield]

Hi. Published author/former editor here. :-)

You could get a report, but fair warning, they're not cheap; I charge ?100 per 10,000 words. A cheaper way for him to get feedback would be to join a writer's group; a good one can be really helpful.

As regards agents - Jazzer's right, they don't give feedback unless you're their client; they can only afford to spend time on people they represent. The way to find one when you're ready to send the book out is to get the most recent edition of The Writers And Artists Yearbook; that contains a section with all the reputable agents, including their submission requirements. Have a look at the kind of books they already represent, and start with a handful that seem like their taste would be a good match for the book.

(Also, though this probably doens't need saying - if you do end up talking to an agent, be as lovely and likeable as you can. The author-agent relationship lasts decades, all going well, and agents want clients they're comfortable working with. ;-) )

Hope this helps! :-)

[Naiada]

Thanks for the replies so far. He has now had very positive interest from a screenwriter but would still be interested in having more feedback from local authors / editors as well.